Posts Tagged ‘Aston’

I maybe pushing my luck here, posting a car which costs £1.3 million… it also needs full re-commisioning.

This is Aston’s first (that we know of) mid-engined car, they had intended to do a limited run of the car, but the new owner of Aston at the time decided to end the program.

The picture at the top is what the car looks like now, but it was bought by a Saudi Prince in 1980 who made the modifications. It originally looked like this…

Many changes have been made during the 17 years that has elapsed from the cars unveiling. The silver over light grey machine in now painted in two tone metallic green, whilst the brown leather of the interior had been replaced by stone leather piped in brown. Other additions to the car include (rather bling) gold plating trim to switches and gear stick, roof mounted stereo, ugly but useful rear view mirrors and a TV showing the rear-view of the car. This picture shows the extent that the doors extend into the sill area to enable easier entry and exit from the low seating position.

Interestingly the car has lost the fuel injection system initially fitted and now has quad Weber carburettors. These are I think of the side draught type and are paired up within the ‘V’ unlike the down draught type fitted in a line down the centre as would be found in a Vantage.

So yes it needs a hell of alot of work doing to it, but it’s worth every penny.

We all have a list in our heads of the most beautiful cars of all time, my list is huge as you will see every month. However this car is in my top 5 of all time.

Yes, many people hated this car when it was released in 1991, so what if it didn’t have the promised V12? or the 4 wheel drive and yes the price did spike.
Even to this day people still hate this car, and to be honest I’m not sure why, but you all have to agree that it is beautiful… ridiculously beautiful.

Lets not forget shall we the legacy this car left behind. Jaguar designed this…

The XJ41/2 eight years earlier, which as you can see the XJ200 was based heavily on the XJ41 design. Personally I think that the XJ41 is the most important car in Aston Martins’ history, please bare with me… three years after the Xj220, came the DB7.

Which looks like a hybrid of the XJ41 and the XJ220. Interestingly the DB7 and the XJ220 were made in the same plant in Bloxham.

The DB9/DBS/Rapide/V8 Vantage and the Vanquish. All look like the DB7 and that is why the XJ41 and XJ220 are such important cars, in Astons history.

Yes the XJ41 was the first, but it’s not quite right somehow, I think it’s the c-pillar and rear end, it’s not quite as good looking as the DB7. As for the XJ200? It’s perfection.